It is a known fact that Maharaja Hari Singh wanted to take time before accession to either to India or Pakistan, therefore, he sent identical standstill agreements to both the dominions. Pakistan readily accepted it whereas India sought sometime and wanted to have discussion with either Maharaja or his representative before taking any final decision on it. Pakistan saw the development between Delhi and Srinagar with suspicion that Jammu and Kashmir may decide to accede to India and it attacked this state. Though Maharaja was the rightful legal person to integrate Jammu and Kashmir to either of the dominions (India or Pakistan) yet Pakistan was ready to do anything to include the state with it. Therefore, it sent its own army personnel to intimidate Maharaja and the residents of the state, who robbed and killed the people and raped women. The Pakistani invaders went of rampage in the state and did everything that could terrorise the people of the state and as a result many of them were forced to leave the state. Armed with modern weaponry, the innocent people of the state were easy target for them and their increasing onslaught was resulting in falling of many areas to Pakistan.
Therefore, Maharaja rightly decided that it cannot go to a dominion, which is functioning like a killing machine and decided to accede India. As a result, India was bound to save the people of Jammu and Kashmir who had now become Indian citizens after the accession. But the Indian army also required time to reach Jammu and Kashmir and get the place rid of invaders immediately after accession. Therefore, the importance of local people, to show their bravery at this time of difficulty, was of utmost importance to stop Pakistani invaders, at least till the time Indian army reached to save Jammu and Kashmir. Many locals showed immense courage to ward off the impeding threat from Pakistan. One such brave heart was Maqbool Sherwani, a 19 years boy, who, with his presence of mind saved Srinagar from falling to Pakistani mercenaries.
Maqbool Sherwani was the National Conference worker who joined National Conference, which was formed by Sheikh Abdullah in 1939. It is said that once Maqbool Sherwani forced Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who came to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed his two-nation theory, to stop in the middle of his speech and leave the place. The people of Baramulla still talk about his bravery, he had shown in hindering the advancing Pakistani invaders who were butchering people coming into their way. His courageous act helped in giving time to Indian army to reach Srinagar and stop Pakistani invaders from occupying the entire state. He misguided the Pakistani invaders that Indian army is advancing and instilled fear in them. But when the Pakistani realised that they have been fooled by a 19 year old boy they got enraged and killed him. They slug the almost dead Sherwani across the petrol tank and thereafter crucified him. Despite this their anger could not be satiated and on November 7, 1947 they pumped 10-15 bullets in his body and ensured that his body remained hanged on this place. But later when army reached the place, they brought down the body of Maqbool Sherwani.
His courage is still remembered by the Indian army and a Memorial Hall was constructed in his honour in Baramulla town. At end we can only say that the extra ordinary courage that he had shown was difficult to find.
